Thu Mar 08, 2012 at 15:53:37 PM EST

State Rep. Tim Kreiger wants to do away wit the state database used to verify potential gun owners. Gun dealers (except those at gun shows) must check a buyer's record through the database before selling a firearm. Sounds like common sense to me.

A 16 year old Reading youth had charges of aggravated assault and robbery dropped by Republican Judge Scott Lash in Berks County Court. This was the Thun Trail case where a 65 year old man shot two of the three youths and killed one of them. The Castle Doctrine law made his summary execution of the boy legal. How serious could this incident have been if a conservative Judge dropped the most serious charges?

Now that six House seats will be filled on April 24th the Pennsylvania Democratic Party has sent Executive Board members notice of their suty to select candidates. The man who once stole $50,000 from taxpayers then stiffed the IRS for $25,000 in taxes is the leading nominee to get the nod to run for Chelsa Wagner's seat in Allegheny County. Nothing like simply handing a seat over to the GOP folks. I can see those mailers now...

How many of the 50 member board will vote for the non crook? Any guesses?

Fox News is blaming the President for gas prices after letting George W. Bush off the hook. Facts are that it was Bush's deregulation of speculation in commodity markets which caused high prices. Media Matters had a bit of fun exposing Fox's hypocrisy:

As conservatives (both Republican and Democrat) cut and slash our social safety net, cutting programs for the poor, the unemployed, the down and out, the elderly, children and the disabled extreme poverty has increased substantially. While the rich keep getting richer with tax breaks, loopholes and corporate welfare the poorest have gotten worse. Extreme poverty has doubled in 15 years. This means people going hungry, without heat, without shelter, without adequate clothing. Sales of mansions, yachts, private planes and other luxuries are at record levels along with corporate profits. That trickle down they're always talking about? It's that warm stuff getting dumped on you which used to go to your local sewage system.

In good news researchers at Penn's Wistar Institute are making progress in the fight against AIDS. The effort bolsters patient's immune systems allowing doctors to remove them from anti-viral drugs. This is happening right here in Pennsylvania.

In Tennessee a private prison company is demanding a 90% occupancy rate for twenty years in return for buying the state's prisons. The privatization of government continues as taxpayers fund government for profit instead of good government. So much for the public interest when laws are then passed justifying more arrests and detention in order to fulfill contracts with such corporations. Remember Kids For Cash? This is simply Adults For Cash.

Congress lost its leading liberal voice this week when Dennis Kucinich lost his primary to Marcy Kaptur. Republicans redistricted the two seats into one.